WILLIAMS
,
ZEPHANIAH
(
1795
-
1874
),
Chartist
;

a native of
Argoed
,
Bedwellty, Mon.
He became a
master-collier
at
Blaina
, and (as it was usual for persons in his occupation to pay their men in public houses) he kept the
Royal Oak Inn
of that place. He was a free-thinker in religion, and ably defended his standpoint in
A Letter to Benjamin Williams
,
1831
. The local
Working Men's Association
met at his house, and he became an active
Chartist leader
. When it was decided to march on
Newport
on the night of
3 Nov. 1839
,
Williams
was entrusted with the
leadership of the contingent of Chartists
which met near
Nant-y-glo
. After the riot he was arrested on board ship at
Cardiff
,
23 Nov.
, tried and condemned to death, but had his sentence commuted to transportation for life. In
Tasmania
he made attempts to escape, but eventually obtained a ticket of leave. He then
discovered coal on the island
, and in time made a considerable fortune. His wife,
Joan
, and his daughter,
Rhoda
, joined him in
Tasmania
in
1854
. His son,
LLEWELLYNWILLIAMS
, who remained in
Wales
, gained repute as a
harpist
, and was known as ‘
Pencerdd y De
’ (see
M. O.Jones
,
Byw. Cerdd. Cymr
., and
R.Griffith
,
Llyfr Cerdd Dannau
, 325-6)
Williams
d. at
Launceston
,
Tasmania
, on
8 May 1874
.